Thoughts: Bleach Drabbles & One Shots
by ProtoKnightblazer
Summary: Random drabbles and short one shots inspired by many things from the various media in Bleach and others. Rated T for things generally not thought allowed for younger readers. [Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters. Just the words, thank you.]
1. Shock

**#1)**

**Title: **Shock  
**Characters/Parings: **Ukitake Jyuushrio. Mentions of Yamamoto Genryusai, Kyouraku Shunsui, Kurosaki Ichigo, Kukichi Byakuya, Kukichi Rukia and Shiba Kaien. Vague mentions of Ukitake X Shunsui._  
_**Rating: **PG  
**Words: **672  
**Summary: **Ukitake recalls the few shocks of his life.  
**Warning/s: **Just a small spoiler in the Soul Society arc, and about Rukia's past. Other than that, nothing much.  
**Dedication: **To Kubo-san for creating _Bleach_...?  
**Author's Note: **Well, here's a shot at trying out drabbling. I don't really have any aim to reach personally, just type whenever I'll feel like it. -shrugs- Hope y'all enjoy this. Inspired by the English dubbing of episode 41. And just for kicks, I'll stuff in some lines from a random song sung in any random anime. -coughs-

* * *

For one of the few times of his life, Ukitake Jyuushrio, captain of the thirteenth division of the Gotei thirteen, was shocked. 

Ukitake had only been shocked for a few times ever since he came to this world. He was of course, shocked about how the afterlife wasn't exactly how he imagined it to be. No people boiling in cauldrons or being drowned in a huge lake of fire. Soul Society was just like another world for the souls of the departed.

He was shocked again when he discovered the existence of _Shinigami_ later on. He really couldn't believe that the term used here was so different to how one would do in the real world. People on the other side treated them like monsters out to simply steal their souls; and here... they were like the high-class people. The elites, living in a pampered life. That was defiantly surprising, no doubt.

His third shock came when Yamamoto-sou-taichou had come with the offer to train him as an official _Shinigami_ along with his newfound friend, Shunsui. It wasn't everyday after all when one of the greatest _Shinigami _around wouldcome personally to invite you to be one yourself. Of course, he did without hesitation – Shunsui took a bit longer, but both of them eventually ended up attending the _Shinigami _Academy as one of the first ever students, which was more of a surprise and honor than a shock.

When he was found to be diagnosed with tuberculosis, Ukitake was again shocked. He had no idea that souls could get ill. Neither did Shunsui. But his lax friend had simply comforted the white haired friend he had and assured softly and gently that everything would be fine. And so it did, even if the regular attacks came; Ukitake knew that his friend would always be there to support and protect him.

His fifth shock came when he was the captain of the thirteenth division. It was the shock when Byakuya forced him not to make his sister a seated _Shinigami_, even though her powers were more than adequate for a placing around the fifth of sixth seating, at the very least. Ukitake had protested, but the Kukichi's stoic face and the resolute finality in his voice had won over. So, grudgingly, he had not placed Kukichi Rukia within any seat placing.

And then his next shock came when he watched the hollow fully take control of his now deceased vice-captain, Shiba Kaien. He was rooted to the spot as Kaien was lost to the world in a moment of needed pride. He shouted in fear when Rukia returned despite his orders, and later when the hollow Kaien stared to chase her, he ordered the young Kukichi member to kill it.

She did.

And he regretted it.

Finally, after all that, Ukitake Jyuushrio thought he couldn't have been shocked any longer.

But he was wrong.

Now, standing in front of the Shrine of Penitence, he looked, shocked for seventh time at the unknown orange-haired _Shinigami _who stood beside Rukia, scowling towards Byakuya. He was just like Kaien, from the explosive hairstyle to the posture and speech when he argued with the younger Kukichi.

Just like Kaien.

And for a moment, shock turned to small hope.

"Byakuya... what do you know of this man?" he had uttered in surprise.

The Kukichi heir only turned his head slightly to give the thirteenth division captain a cold look that had said everything even before he said it.

_He is not related to the one who you are thinking._

And just that, his heart sank like a stone again.

There was no shock, just realization.

But as Jyuushrio would continue to watch the later events go on and continue, he would soon know that there were other things that would shock him. As well as everyone else.

* * *

_kaze ni omoi wo tsuki ni negai wo  
chikara aru kagiri ikiteikunda kyou mo  
bokura no omoi mo itsuka dareka no mune ni  
hikari tsuzukeyou ano hoshi no you ni  
_

- Asterisk, Bleach OP 1


	2. Forgiveness

**#2)**

**Title: **Forgiveness  
**Characters/Pairings: **Hitsugaya Toshirou. Mentions of Hinamori Momo and Aizen Sosuke. Slight Hitsugaya X Hinamori.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Words: **447  
**Summary: **Toshirou wonders if he could ever be forgiven.  
**Warning/s: **A bit of angst ahead, plus big Soul Society Arc spoiler. Read at your own discretion.  
**Dedication: **To Agent HUNK for being the first reviewer, I guess. -coughs- Hope you like Toshirou.  
**Author's Note: **Yep, a quick update. This one's inspired by the dreams I just had when I was sleeping, oddly. I have few things inspired from my dreams and the aftermath of the SS Arc. But in any case, enjoy. And yeah, maybe romance stuff might be here and there... they are all just coming from my non-exsistant brain. -coughs-

* * *

Hitsugaya Toshirou wonders if he could ever be forgiven by _her_. 

His fists were clenched, teeth gritted together in frustration as he forced himself to look at the battered, now prone form of Hinamori Momo lying upon the bed, blissfully unconscious. Her hair was undone, so now dry locks of black lay neatly under her head on the pillow. An oxygen mask provided her the air she would need at this dangerous time. As the young captain brought his gaze along her form, he saw the bandaged hands, and he clenched his fist yet again.

How could he have caused all of this to her?

They all had been played for as fools. Aizen had used them all like one would use as pieces of a chess game, without ever caring for the consequences. He only cared if it would help in his deadly cause along the road. Even if that just meant accepting one who worshiped you almost to a point of a god. But despite everything, Hitsugaya knew that the traitor was right about one thing. Hinamori's acts had really, truly blinded her from the truth.

And he hated himself for that.

Why didn't he try to open her eyes earlier?

He looked again at Hinamori. Her face was, at least, peaceful for once, with no tears about the 'death' and betrayal of Aizen. But the boy knew, it she would still think about the manipulative man when she woke up, despite everything. He hoped she would finally open her eyes and see just how cruel Aizen Sosuke was.

But deep down, he knew she still would not see it.

The fists clenched again.

_Damnit._

Why did this have to happen?

He raised a fist, looking at the crumpled letter in his hand. The letter Aizen wrote to trick her in attacking him. The letter that Hitsugaya thought Gin had forced Sosuke to write. Of course, it was otherwise. Hinamori could be such a naïve fool at times.

And perhaps, he was too.

He turned, and started to walk out of the room, the ends of his haori fluttering weakly as he exited.

Toshirou knew now that nothing could change what had happened. Aizen Sosuke had betrayed and turned against Soul Society for his own selfish purposes. And he had hurt Hinamori, when the tenth division captain had swore that he would protect her from anything. He had failed to uphold his own vow.

And for that, he would _not_ forgive himself.

But he hoped she _would_ forgive him for not being able to protect her when she desperately needed it.

And he vowed now to begin anew in his silent promise of defending her.

* * *

_kowarenai you ni to hanarete iku kimi  
mou waraenai nante hito kirai nante kotoba sou iwanai de  
ima wa by and by mie nakuttatte subete ni imi ga aru kara  
kesenai kako mo seoi attekou ikiru koto wo nagedasanai de_

- D-technolife, Bleach OP 2


	3. First Contact

**#3)**

**Title: **First Contact  
**Characters/Parings: **Urahara Kisuke & Kurosaki Ichigo. Mentions of Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Masaki.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Words: **1000  
**Summary: **They had met long before everything started.  
**Warning/s: **Slight spoiler about Ichigo's past, as well as Isshin and Urahara being... well... you-know-what. Also involves some crack theories. You have been warned.  
**Dedication: **To all Isshin and Urahara lovers out there. Hope y'all like this one.  
**Author's Note: **Yeah, there really isn't enough stuff about Isshin and Urahara round here. So yeah; hope all of you folks understand this. Inspired somewhat by some wacky dreams once again. Although, I rather like this drabble. -chuckles weakly-

* * *

It was on the twenty-first of June when Urahara actually first met him. 

On that particular day, the sky was overcast with clouds, the usually bright summer sun shielded by the gloomy, semi-opaque clouds that surrounded the bright blue sky. Kisuke thought that it was pretty good time to go out for a walk – it had been raining for the past few days without fail, and he was getting rather bored being cooped up within his little '_Urahara Shoten_' candy shop. So leaving Tessai in charge for a while, the ex-captain stretched his legs out as he went for a little walk in the town.

He walked around the place, taking in the sights if the numerous sights and sounds that was around and about. It was rather early in the morning, so there weren't many people. The store owner grinned and smiled at the various people who was looking at the oddball man. Of course, he had been through this many times before due to the odd choice of clothing he usually was seen about wearing (the traditional sandals, kimono and haori plus the green and white striped bucket hat). So, anyway, along with his trademarked wooden cane that stored his dear old _zanpaktou_ Benihime as well as stuffing his favorite paper fan into the folds of his clothes, he continued down the relatively empty streets of Karakura Town.

It was after about an hour or so wandering about the main area then did Urahara headed off into the more sparse areas of the town, into the graveyard on the outskirts to pay his respects to Isshin's wife. He heard from the fellow ex-captain that Masaki had died a few days ago due to an accident. Hearing about the death of his dear friend's wife was indeed rather sad and tragic after all. Perhaps if he would perform _konso _on her soul if he ever chanced upon it. After all, it was the most he could do for the now powerless ex-_shinigami_ captain – the usually cheerful man had lost his powers because of him as well.

As the man was lost in his numerous thoughts, he never noticed that there was already another who was there before him until Urahara finally had the sense to look up from his paper fan.

A young boy with unbelievably bright and spiky orange hair stood in front of Masaki's gave, tears pooling in his small eyes. Urahara would place him at around nine years old or so, with a rather strong body. His lanky body donned a deep yellow hoodie jacket over a loose orange shirt. He wore simple blue pants and shoes, and his childishly huge head was lowed over the grave of Isshin's wife.

Even from this far, Kisuke could already see Isshin's deep chocolate eyes in that boy.

_That boy... he's Kurosaki Ichigo, isn't he? Isshin's eldest child..._ realized the exiled captain as he cautiously walked towards the child. His sandals _clipped-clopped _noisily upon the dusty ground of the graveyard, shaking the boy out from his thoughts as he turned a shaky head towards the store owner.

"Hello," the ex-shinigami greeted softly to the orange-headed boy.

"Good Morning..." the child said in return, although his voice was a bit soft despite the tranquility of the early day. "Are you here to pay respects to kaa-san as well?"

The quaint man simply smiled as he replied, "You could say. I'm here from time to time to pay respects to the deceased," Urahara lied. He really didn't want to say that Isshin was related to him now – he figured the boy had more than enough to go through right now. He then looked at Masaki's grave. "So... when did your mother die?"

"Four days ago," whispered Ichigo. "...and I killed her..."

Kisuke looked at the boy in shock. "You killed your mother?" he asked incredulously.

The orange-headed kid nodded in shame. "It was raining. I was walking back from class with my mother. We were passing the river nearby when I saw this girl standing at the bank. The girl suddenly fell, and I ran down the slope to stop her. And then suddenly... I was lying down... and my kaa-san..."

Urahara nodded in kind understanding. "It wasn't your fault. Anything could have happened then. Besides, it really wasn't your fault."

"It _was _my fault!" the child indignantly almost yelled back in response. "If I hadn't tried to stop the girl, kaa-san wouldn't have died!" Saying that, Ichigo broke into tears in front of the enigmatic shopkeeper. "It was... all my fault..."

"There, there," the man tried to comfort as he patted the boy's head. "It already happened. No use going on about it, eh?"

However, deep inside, Kisuke knew better. He knew that Masaki's death was no accident. From what he had heard, she had probably been killed by a Hollow. Possibly even Grand Fisher, if the mysterious girl was taken into account. Lord knows just how many times that beast had used that tactic to get his meals. Not to mention that said Hollow particularly liked to eat females. On that thought, the man took a closer look at the boy's _reiatsu_. Even for his age, it was already abnormally high – but that would be the result of being the child of an ex-captain after all.

The boy sobbed, choking back his tears as he rubbed off the tear streaks staining his face. "Ye-yeah, I guess," he said, bending down to pick up his small bag that lay on the foot of the grave. "I think I'd better leave now. Thank you," Ichigo muttered softly as he bowed in gratitude.

Kisuke smiled. "You're welcome."

As the exiled _shinigami _watched the boy leave, he couldn't help but wonder just what this amazing child would become in the near future. Maybe he would meet him someday once more.

As usual, Urahara Kisuke couldn't be more than right.

* * *

_Hikari ga matomo ni sashikomanai  
Kimi wa maru de hikage ni saita hana no you  
Nozonda hazu jyanakatta basho ni  
Ne wo hanasarete ugokezu ni irunda ne_

- Ichirin no Hana, Bleach OP 3


	4. Similar Paths

**#4)**

**Title: **Similar Paths  
**Characters/Parings: **Ishida Ryuuken & Kurosaki Isshin. Mentions of the whole Kurosaki family as well as Ishida Uryuu. Implied Ryuuken X Isshin.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Words: **700  
**Summary: **They hadn't been so different after all.  
**Warning/s: **A broken nose, plus crack theory about Ryuuken and Isshin's past. Slight spoiler about their real identities as well.  
**Dedication: **For all the peeps who can't have enough of the two ol' daddies.  
**Author's Note: **I'm not a real fan of this lil' pairing, but I _do _find 'em rather fun to write about. Especially when their pasts are so mysterious. -laughs- Anyway, enjoy it. And apologies for the oddball ending – I just didn't know how to end it. -sweatdrops-

* * *

Kurosaki Isshin was a _shinigami_. 

Ishida Ryuuken was a Quincy.

Isshin was a natural girl magnet.

Ryuuken, on the other hand, was a self-disciplined woman repellent.

Everyone figured they would be completely different.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

Both hunted all manner of Hollows as what Isshin would call, 'A hidden part-time job'. Ryuuken only scowled at this term and said it as 'a necessary thing to do'. However, it was still the truth – both of them still went to kill and purify Hollows together on a daily basis. Well, _nightly_ in reality, but who would really want to get kinky on all the details. Besides Ryuuken, that was.

Both of them had been seeing each other faces from the beginning of senior high. Isshin could remember how they first met. The Kurosaki had 'accidentally' bumped into the man ever since their first day at school, laughing at Ryuuken about his white hair. Said boy punched right back, having the clinic doctor having his first ever broken nose.

Most people would be out to get revenge.

However, Isshin was not what most people would define as 'most'.

The very next day, the ex-captain had went to seat right next to the Quincy, much to Ryuuken's horror. No matter how many times the then-young Ishida threatened for the then-young Kurosaki to just _shove off, _Isshin had not. So for the next few years until graduation, Ryuuken was forced to endure the brash and (at times) hyperactive man beside him with a scowl of distaste. So when they finally graduated (which, itself, seemed to be a miracle given how often Isshin skipped classes), Ryuuken was glad that it would probably be the last time he would see the annoying guy beside him.

However, the Quincy couldn't have been more wrong. When he entered medical school, the first person that greeted him was Isshin. The man had half-screamed his name as the Kurosaki flew in from seemingly nowhere and hugged the latter tight. Everyone could remember just how _red _Ryuuken's face had been just then. Not to mention the legacy of the Ishida's special kick that would endure in the myths of the school the two attended.

It was also then, when they started to accept each other despite their differences. After all, they had their own similarities as well: they both aspired to be doctors, they both were the probably the only two people who knew about the existence of spirits and to that, the only two who were charged with the duty of hunting Hollows. Even if they were worlds apart, they were still the same somewhere. And on that basis, they went to get along with each other.

They never left each other even after finishing medical school. Instead, they lived together for the next few years, cherishing each other's presence well until the point where Isshin started to date Masaki. Ryuuken was slightly heartbroken at losing his good friend, but accepted it as the natural way of things before he himself started to date as well. Another few years had passed before the two doctors went to marry their girls, both on the same day, the same time. Be it coincidence or well-preparedness, both men joyfully wished each other luck as good friends and pals.

Both _shinigami _and Quincy both had first-born sons. And ironically, both men also lost their wives later on in life. Ryuuken lost his first to the _shinigami, _while Isshin lost his to the Hollow Grand Fisher. Both wives lost to spiritual beings and creatures. In a sense, it was poetic justice.

Now, many years later, Isshin grinned rakishly as he took a small puff of the cigar offered to him. The restored _shinigami _captain looked at the white-haired Quincy as he took a drag of his own expensive pure tobacco cigars.

"It's been a long time, huh?" commented the man as he looked at the place where Uryuu had trained with his father. And also where they themselves had always had their private moments in their younger times.

Ryuuken only grunted in response as he scowled at the elder.

Some things just never change.

* * *

_Woke up with yawn; It's dawning, I'm still alive.  
Turned on my radio to start a new day  
As goddamned DJ's chattered how to survive  
Amazing news got over on the air wave_

- Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Bleach OP 4


	5. The Other Ending

**#5)**

**Title: **The Other Ending  
**Characters/Parings: **Random Shinigami plus a random Hollow and demi-Hollow and another shinigami.  
**Rating: **PG+  
**Words: **1168  
**Summary: **Every battle has two endings.  
**Warning/s: **A bit of violence and gore. No spoilers whatsoever.  
**Dedication: **For good ol' Singapore, my country. Well, to the people who defended and died for this place a long time ago.  
**Author's Note: **Inspired somewhat by my country's national day. A bit about the heroes who died for it, and other stuff. Have a great birthday, Singapore.

* * *

In every war, there is always death. 

And in every death, another soul to find and guide it to Soul Society.

And for every lost soul, a Hollow would appear almost magically to take over its place.

And when there is a Hollow, more deaths among us would occur.

And in every death, there is grief.

And in grief, revenge and anger and hate.

War is a vicious cycle, even amongst us _shinigami. _In the beginning, there has always been the battle for dominance in Soul Society. But in time, we have all learned how to curb our brashness and rash actions to control and discipline ourselves, setting out for our jobs to maintain the spiritual balance between the material plane and of the spiritual plane. The Hollows exist to eat the weak and useless. We exist to cleanse them before things got too out of hand.

But when there is an imbalance, war occurs. It starts like a stray spark that's fallen from the firework. A small, little thing that's overlooked by many – but when it lands at the right conditions, a fire erupts. Similarly, if an event occurs just at the time of great tension and unease, a war would begin. A battle of great, and useless bloodshed. And in every war, many would die. Many that could have lived a lot longer if given the chance. But humans always fail to understand until they've died and become one like us.

And thus, I was here now with the my team. Holding the position of the thirteenth seat within the seventh division, my captain had ordered me to bring a group of my most able-bodied officers to go to a small country in the real world that had just been surrendered to another power. From what I could understand, that place was known to them as 'Nippon'. I never really knew what its true name was, and I really could not bother to find out.

We all arrived here on one quiet night, through the _senkai _gate and into the real world, covered by the protection of the dense forests in the area. We quickly split into twos and threes and headed out to slay whatever Hollows we saw as well as to guide the souls we found to Soul Society. I went with one of my more trusted officers as we went about the area, senses on the high for any possible Hollows. As we scouted, we found a few souls in our way which we performed our _konso _on with swift efficiency, not wanting to waste time.

After about an hour, my companion began to grumble about there not being any sort of action. Personally, I would prefer having no action at all... any Hollow attack would just cause more problems. As both of us slowly delved into our thoughts, a sudden familiar roar of a Hollow alerted us and shook us out from our minds. We only managed to draw out our zanpaktou when the beast appeared, a lion-like creature the white mask over its face, and dark orange bangs flying all over the head. Without wasting time, both of us charged towards the Hollow, blades at the ready. However, the Hollow dodged and leaped into the air, shooting slivery spines from his back. We both sidestepped the attack with relative ease and switched tactics. My companion jumped up towards the Hollow as I quickly chanted under my breath the words for Hadou sixty-three:_ Raikoho. _At once, a great pillar of yellow energy erupted in front of me and shot towards the Hollow.

The lion Hollow roared in anger as it dodged the swifter attack – my spell – and failed to notice my partner until his zanpaktou cut deep into its limb and with a tug, severed it. Another roar as the Hollow charged towards we in blind rage. I swiftly readied my blade and in a flash, pierced through its head. The creature roared as it dissolved into a black mist and faded away. My companion landed softly upon the grassy hill and kept his weapon just as I did with mine. We were proceeding to move on when a voice suddenly came.

"What... what did you do to that monster...?" a voice asked, frightened. We both turned our heads towards the source of the voice, where we saw the soul of one of the soldiers. The man had dark brown skin, and wore the uniform of a minor commanding officer. His onyx eyes looked at me with the hardened season of a warrior as he asked the question again, this time with strengthened pride. "Answer me – what was that thing?"

"It's called a Hollow. Wholes – normal souls – who have lost themselves to their own grief and anger," I replied simply as I took out my blade again and spun it so that the hilt faced the man. "We _shinigami _exist to cleanse them of their sins and to lead souls to the Soul Society."

"Soul Society? Is that supposed to be heaven?" the soldier asked.

"I guess you can say that," I answered as I neared him. "Now, you can head there as well. If you can please stand and head over as well..."

"I can't," he said almost gruffly in response. "I don't want to leave here. I've failed in defending this place... the Japanese will take over, and it'll be all over here." It was then when I noticed that his Chain of Fate was latched upon the area around us, wrapping around one of the blasted posts as well.

"You have to," I replied simply, "otherwise you'll end up like that Hollow."

"But-!"

"What's keeping you? You're already dead, so what's the point in staying here?" I pointed out bluntly. Everyone had always said I was never the polite one, mainly being never one to ever mince words.

"I don't want to see my home fall into the Japanese," the tanned solider said in response. "We fought, gave out all here... and now..."

"Don't worry," I said gently as I hovered the hilt over the soul's forehead. "It'll all be over soon enough." Saying that, I stamped his head without further ado. And before he could continue speaking. As the demi-hollow started to fade, he murmured under his breath.

"Every war always ends with such a painful end," he had whispered, before he finally vanished, and like magic, a Hell Butterfly seemed to appear all of a sudden in the night, fluttering upwards into the starry sky. While both me and my partner watched the disappearing moth, I felt the crying wind howling its sorrow for the lost souls and the dark clouds roaring their anger at the violent bloodshed.

Every battle always had the winner and the loser. Every fight always ended with death.

Every conflict always had two results: the one who won and the one who had lost, and the ones who had lived and died.

Every war always had two endings.

* * *

_Yume ni made mita you na sekai wa_  
_Arasoi mo naku heiwa na nichijou_  
_Demo genjitsu wa hibi torabutte_  
_Tama ni kuyandari shiteru sonna ROLLING DAYS_

- Rolling Star, Bleach OP 5


	6. First Contact OP2

**#6)**

**Title: **First Contact (op.2)  
**Characters/Parings: **Hirako Shinji & Kurosaki Ichigo. Mentions of Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Masaki.  
**Rating: **PG+  
**Words: **1162  
**Summary: **Shinji recalls their first meeting.  
**Warning/s: **A tad 'bout the Vaizards, plus Ichigo's past.  
**Dedication: **To a boring Friday afternoon. And other odd workings of my bored brain.  
**Author's Note: **Somewhat a continuation of my third drabble _'First Contact' _which involved Kisuke and Ichigo. Now it's Shinji of the Vaizards. Ironically, it concerns Masaki's death as well. Continue writing like this and I'll pass my next literature test with flying colors. --;;

* * *

Shinji knew it was not the first time they had met. 

They had met for the first time many years back, on the outskirts of Karakura, near the river where the local train clacked by from time to time. The already-then Vaizard had been in the town to sightsee, as well as to get away from Hiyori's rather horrible cooking. She cooked just like sweet little Orrihime-chan then. Of course, that was no by means an insult... well, except to the ruffian herself. But then again, Shinji usually was, more than often, wrong in his guesses and feelings about the presence of Hollow and _Shinigami_, among other things, making the rest simply glare at his (then) weak senses.

Well, anyways. The Vaizard had been there, on the outskirts, walking along the dusty dirt path under and besides the rails when he sensed a pretense of someone with an astonishing amount of _reiatsu. _Alarmed that it might be a _shinigami _sent after him or some smart ass Hollow, Shinji quickly scurried forward until he finally noticed a figure sitting by the riverbank, and that figure was the source of the huge ass amount of spiritual energy he was feeling right now. Cautiously, the Vaizard went down the grassy slope and approached the being, which was small, he might add.

As Hirako neared the figure, it spun, causing the unprepared Vaizard to be taken aback. Shinji yelped a little and stumbled back before falling ungracefully upon his butt. As he groaned a little and started to get back up, a small hand was extended to the hybrid. Shinji looked up, and was once again taken in surprise at just how _young_ the person in front of him was. He was a young human child, barely even reaching his teenage years. The kid had unbelievably bright orange hair that was highlighted by the golden rays of the setting sun. Wearing a loose, plain white shirt and baggy blue cargo pants with sandals, the boy looked at the Vaizard with young, but experienced brown eyes that spoke of both pain and sadness.

"_Gomen,_" the boy apologized. "I'm sorry to have frightened you."

"Ah, its nothing," Hirako responded in kind as he got himself up and looked at the young boy for a while. True enough, that boy was the owner of the bulging amount of reiatsu that he felt now. Obviously the boy didn't know, since all that power was simply leaking out like crazy. This kid was a living Hollow bait.

"Why are you so far out this late in the day? Shouldn't you be going home or something? Your parents will get worried," the Vaizard questioned.

"My dad won't really bother," the boy said in response, voice slowly softening as he went on. "Besides... today's special."

Shinji was a little curious at what the orange-haired boy was implying. "Special? In what way, I might ask?"

The kid sighed deeply as he turned to look at the sunset reflecting upon the river surface. His eyes seemed to twinkle with threatening tears, but it could have possibly been the reflection of the water in his deep brown eyes. "My kaa-san... she died here last year. I'm finding her spirit."

"Oh," the Vaizard nodded in understanding, but then did a double take at the second sentence. "Find her spirit? You mean you see ghosts?"

The child nodded. "I've always been able to see spirits ever since I can remember. People say I'm just imagining things."

Hirako chuckled a little. "Don't believe them. I can see ghosts too, you know."

Immediately, the kid's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean you can see them too?"

Shinji nodded. "Yeah."

"Then, then can you see kaa-san? She has long and wavy orange-brown hair and has these kind eyes and..."

"No," the Vaizard replied before the boy could continue any further. "I can't see any spirits here."

The boy's shoulders dropped as the momentary rush of happiness faded from him. "Oh."

"But if you don't mind me asking," Shinji continued, "how did your mother die here? Did she drown?"

"No," the boy said as he shook his head.

"Then how?"

"...I did."

"What?!" Hirako almost shouted in surprise. Did the boy become a Vaizard or something as well?

"It was raining then," the kid started, "I was coming back with kaa-san from class. As we walked up there, (he gestured to the dirt path where Shinji had been walking just now) I saw a girl here, by the riverbank. The girl then started to fall into the river, and I ran down to save her. I only heard kaa-san calling out my name, and then the train clacking, and then... I was lying on the grass, with kaa-san's body... over mine. Her blood was on me..." the boy then trailed off to choke back the sobs that wanted to come out.

The Vaizard looked sadly at the orange-haired kid trying not to cry and break down in front of him. Obviously, his mother's death had been due to a Hollow attack. The Hollow had most likely wanted to get this boy's soul and instead, got the mother. So already his power was attracting the Hollows here by the masses. He could only guess it was the assigned _Shinigami_ here that kept all those monsters at bay. And it was most likely that the kid's mother had long been sent to Soul Society.

"Well," Shinji started, "even if you say its your fault, what's happened already happened. The best you can do now is to buck up, and go through life, eh?"

The boy wiped away the threatening tears with his sleeve as he sniffled once before looking up to Shinji and nodded. "Yeah, I will. Thanks, mister."

Hirako smiled. "Alright. Now, I think you'd best get back home before your dad gets worried."

Nodding again, the kid dusted his pants before turning to head back to his home, but not before turning back to the Vaizard. "What's your name, Mister?"

"Hirako Shinji. Yours, kid?" Shinji answered before questioning in return.

A small smile came to the boy's face as he replied. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Alright then, Ichigo, nice to have met ya."

"You too, Hirako-san," said Ichigo before turning back and leaving the riverbank.

While Shinji watched him, the Vaizard somehow could just feel that this wouldn't be the last time he would meet this extraordinary kid. Somehow, he felt that they would meet again in the future, perhaps under more different and unique situations.

And oddly, he was right for once.

* * *

_semete yume no naka de  
jiyuu ni oyogetara anna sora mo iranai no ni  
kinou made no koto o  
nuritsubusa nakute mo asu ni mukaeru no ni_

- ALONES, Bleach OP 6


	7. Mistaken Idenity

**#7)**

**Title: **Mistaken Identity**  
****Characters/****Parings: **Kyouraku Shunsui, Abarai Renji, Madarame Ikakku, Matsumoto Rangiku & ?  
**Rating: **T (for swearing, among other things)  
**Words: **800  
**Summary: **Shunsui gets a little high on sake, and mistakes one person for another.  
**Warning/****s: **Crack. Just pure, unfiltered crack.  
**Dedication: **To my great zany buddies and teacher in my maths tuition for inspiring this.  
**Author's Note: **This entire thing was inspired by an event that happened when my friends were coming for Maths tuition. Even after two weeks, we still laugh like crazy when we mention it. So in event of that, here is my first writing and shot at crack. Have fun, and laugh if you can.

* * *

The local bar was in a rather lively mood today. The occupants did their usual stuff, chatting and playing and others as a few newcomers eyed the four shinigami that sat in front of the rather disgruntled bartender with some interest. One was a brunette, donning the most ridiculous flower-printed pink _haori_ along with a straw hat. Another had crimson hair tied into a ponytail with tattoos for eyebrows, while the one beside him was completely bald. And the oddest of the four would be the long, slightly wavy orange-brown haired woman with rather large... assets. The four _shinigami _roared with laughter as they sloshed themselves silly with a seemingly endless supply of alcohol.

"I tell ya, Kukichi-taichou can't do any shit to save 'imself!" declared Renji as he slammed his mug of beer down hard on the tabletop.

"Ehhhhhhh? Why's that, Abarai?" Rangiku slurred as she took a deep gulp from her drink.

"Yeah. Why, Renji?" Ikakku added as he gestured for the bartender to refill his newly emptied mug.

"Damn prissy lil' princess 'lways pampered in his fuckin' noble house. I bet ya all he can't survive for a day in district seventy n' beyond," the sixth division lieutenant said.

"Maa, maa, Abarai-kun, don't go all over your captain like that," now Shunsui chided gently as he chuckled and took a sip of his _sake. _"Byakuya has his own ways about everything."

Madarame grunted as he drank from his own mug. "I agree with Renji. Kukichi 'prolly won't last long in somewhere like where taichou came from. Hell, even our fukutaichou came from seventy-nine."

"Aaa, really?" Matsumoto exclaimed in surprise. "I think taichou told me he was from the tenth at North before moving to the first."

As the four shinigami chatted merrily (somewhat under the influence of the alcohol), a clock somewhere suddenly chimed to the time of midnight. As the twelve rumble rang through the bar, the eighth division captain suddenly stood up, face beet red with far too much sake. The other three looked in some alarm at the stumbling captain as Shunsui stumbled on his own feet and fell face-first onto the ground.

After seeing that, the trio decided it was best to help him back to the eighth division headquarters before the man lost too much of his pride. Not that he really needed (and cared) about that, of course. But at least a captain needed some dignity for the general populace. So, anyway, the three shinigami supported the drunk captain as they made their way out of the bar and into the dusty, quiet streets of district three, East Rukongai.

"Kyouraku-taichou... sure is heavy..." wheezed Renji as they struggled to move, despite having all three of them supporting the flamboyant man.

"He should lose... some weight!" Matsumoto agreed as she tried not to stumble on her own feet.

"At least Zaraki-taichou can keep his alcohol..." commented Ikakku as he supported upper body.

As the trio continued to struggle under Shunsui's immense weight, Renji suddenly caught sight of a figure swiftly approaching them. A flash of light revealed lustrous black hair and an all-too familiar face. The sixth division lieutenant paled at the sight of who was coming.

"Who is it, Renji?" questioned Ikakku while he continued to hold up the drunk captain.

"Its..." started the redhead, but just then, the eighth division captain got up from his drunken nap and looked in a daze at his new surroundings.

"Where are we?" muttered the brunette sleepily before he saw the figure that Renji saw. Black hair, that familiar expression, the pose...

"NANAO-CHANNNNNNNNN!" exclaimed Kyouraku as he suddenly leapt towards the figure of Ise Nanao.

"NO!" was all that Renji could yell as a warning before the man latched himself to the stranger.

"Oh dear sweet little Nanao-chan, forgive me, but I so desperately wanted a drink to relax myself and-" the captain paused when he suddenly felt something silky and soft around his lieutenant's neck, which was pretty off, since the brunette didn't remember his beloved little Nanao wearing any scarf of sorts.

"Nanao-chan? Since when did you-" he started, only to stop when he looked up to see the familiar twitching face that did _not_ belong to his beloved Nanao-chan. Matsumoto and Ikakku then hurried to bring the captain back to Eighth Division quarters while Renji tried to clam the guy who Shunsui mistook as Nanao before the poor flamboyant, drunk man would be diced to bits.

However, the three couldn't help but laugh out loud when they met back later on over a dishes and cups of sake after the matter had been settled quickly without any casualties.

Kukichi Byakuya sure looked like Nanao with her hair down.

* * *

_tooku de iki o shiteru toomei ni natta mitai  
kurayami ni omoe dakedo mekaku shisareteta dake  
inori wo sasagete atarashii hi wo matsu  
asayaka ni hikaru umi sono hate made _

- Life is Like a Boat, Bleach ED 1


	8. Friendly Rivalry

**#8)**

**Title: **Friendly Rivalry**  
****Characters/****Parings: **Kotetsu Kiyone & Kotsubaki Sentaro, with Ukitake Jyuushrio in the background. Mentions of Kukichi Rukia, Kukichi Byakuya, Kurosaki Ichigo, Shiba Kaien & Shiba Miyako.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Words:** 670  
**Summary: **They both knew it would never happen.  
**Warning/****s: **The Soul Society Arc – the one about Rukia's past and all that.  
**Dedication: **To my brother for being so inexplicably drunk and hung-over last night. --;;  
**Author's Note: **So, yeah. By elder brother decided that it would be fun to drink, and he ended up taking too much. His friend had to carry him back. Needless to say I was shocked when someone pounded on the front door at one in the morning.

* * *

They both knew it would probably never happen. 

Kiyone and Sentaro, the two third seats of the Thirteenth division, knew that neither of them would ever get to be Ukitake-taicho's lieutenant. Their dreams of being so had shattered along with the death of Shiba-fukutaichou all those years ago.

At that time, the younger Kotetsu was in the fifteenth while Kotsubaki was the eleventh seats respectively. Both of them were under Shiba Kaien himself, and both of them were fast friends as well. They both idolized Shiba-fukutaichou, and both aspired to be like the handsome, dashing and easygoing lieutenant that Ukitake-taichou was blessed with. Kaien always helped them in times of trouble, gave them advice and unlike the other lieutenants or captains, was hardly harsh on them. Never did once did the elder Shiba use his position as the Thirteenth division's fukutaichou to force them to do anything – everything they did was done willingly, and everyone trusted and liked Shiba Kaien. He was the perfect idol to both Kiyone and Sentaro, and thus both strived to one day, perhaps, take over Kaien if he would ever give it up or become Captain.

However, all those dreams were shattered in one freezing, rainy night.

Both of them could remember how cold and stormy the night suddenly became, how Miyako suddenly attacked the company without so much as a hesitant blink of an eye. Both present third seats could remember the fear that gripped their hearts as they both chanced upon the once-kind third seat, now controlled by the hollow. Shiba himself went out with both Ukitake and Rukia hot on his heels. Kukichi Rukia, despite being an unseated _Shinigami_, still could go all out for who she respected and cherished. And in the end, it was she could killed him when the Hollow took over their kind lieutenant.

They both understood the circumstances. Never did they once blamed the young Kukichi for what had happened. They both knew that she was forced to do so, and they knew... Kukichi Rukia would never have the heart to injure any one of her fellow comrades – especially to Shiba Kaien. She was the one who cried the most when the man was buried. She was the one who could not bring to forgive herself the most.

After that, Ukitake-taichou had never appointed anyone as his lieutenant. They knew it was because he was afraid that the same incident might happen again. Despite everything, Ukitake Jyuushrio did not one anyone in his division to die anymore. Everyone had understood his feelings, even with the cold Kukichi Byakuya and his constant reminder about how the man had broken his sister's heart on that very night.

So the both had come to an agreement. They both strived to become the new lieutenant in anyway possible, but they knew it was an impossible task. When they became the third seats, it was then they truly knew the great impact of their captain's illness – and that he would really need a lieutenant whatever the case. But as they would know their own captain, he would never do so, for fear for another similar incident. So that's when their little competition began. Every time, both of them displayed their utmost commitment to their captain and the division itself. They knew it never really worked, but at least, it made him a bit happy, and it made them happy as well to see their usually solemn captain have a small smile on his face towards their exaggerated acts. And just for that, they were glad enough. They knew that neither of them would ever have the chance to become the thirteenth division lieutenant.

Besides, they guessed that their captain would rather choose that orange-headed Shiba lookalike over them anyway. Either that, or Kukichi Rukia. Both of them had surpassed them a long time ago anyway.

But until then, they would continue to compete each other in their friendly rivalry... and to make their captain contented.

* * *

_Itsumo sasaetekureru hitotachi ni  
Higoro no omoi wo kometa RHAPSODY  
APPRECIATION no kimochi o todoke  
Itsumo arigatou, hontou arigatou  
Tatoe doko ni itatte kimi no sonzai ni kansha shiteruyo_

- Thank You!!, Bleach ED 2


	9. Gomen

**#9)**

**Title: **Gomen**  
****Characters/****Parings: **Ichimaru Gin. Mentions of Matsumoto Rangiku, Kukichi Byakuya, Kukichi Rukia, Izuru Kira, Hinamori Momo, Hitsugaya Toshirou and Aizen Sosuke. Slightly implied Rangiku x Gin.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Words:** 755  
**Summary: **He wised he could have said it properly.  
**Warning/****s: **The Soul Society Arc. Also some crack theories once again.  
**Dedication: **To celebrate the (slight) breaking of writer's block.  
**Author's Note: **Well, its been a long time since I've updated. I'm not giving up on this, but then exams are around the corner... ah well. Enjoy anyway.

* * *

When Ichimaru Gin, royal spy first received his latest mission, he was stunned to say the least. 

His orders were to enter the ranks of Soul Society's Gotei Thirteen, and keep watch over the place itself, with regular reports to the King.

Even as a child, Gin was already recognized well for his uncanniness and crafty ways of obtaining information. His odd facade allowed him to slip just about everywhere, from the darkest, dirtiest alleys to the most pristine palaces like the Kukichi manor. Already Byakuya had already given up all hope on preventing the slivery, foxy man from loitering about and let him pass through as he pleased. He got along well with several others, like the unflinchingly loyal Kira, or the timid but otherwise gentle eighth seat in his division whose name he did not know. But most of all, it was the busty, hyper and ever jolly Rangiku that he remembered the most.

Rangiku.

From young, she was always his friend. She was one of the few who never got taken aback by his foxy grin and facial features, instead always smiling and cheering with him. They entered the Shinigami Academy together, graduated together and once worked together under the third division. Consequently Matsumoto was later transferred to the Tenth sometime before her latest captain's arrival, but still they kept in touch. Everything seemed fine; he lived the life of a double agent, but yet at least having people by his side – people whom he could cherish.

But all of that shattered when Aizen came.

Aizen seemed to be the kind of shinigami that everyone wanted to be. Kind, caring, warm, helpful... strong. All of those qualities were all present in Sosuke. It was no wonder he was the idol everyone worshiped. When he was at the academy, everyone would flock to him for help; when he was a shinigami, many turned to him for a helping hand. And when the time for captainship came... he was immediately slated to be one. Already for Ichimaru, his senses were already telling him of something horrible under that perfect facade. The next time when he reported his doubts to the King, another order was swiftly issued to him.

_Follow Aizen Sosuke, at any cost._

And Ichimaru had done just that.

The following years, he got himself as the only person who Aizen trusted, and knew all his plans. But Gin knew that the man was still keeping a close eye on him, and did not report the plans just yet. Of course, the fifth division captain had no idea that his most faithful subordinate was actually spying on him, but the (then) Lieutenant knew better than to relax his guard. So he continued to follow Sosuke, analyzing him and studying him, trying to understand just what the man wanted to do.

When he was promoted to Third Division captain, Matsumoto heartily congratulated him. Ichimaru knew that Sosuke had pulled strings, just as Byakuya had done to safeguard his sister. He knew Kukichi Rukia was wary of him just as he was with Aizen Sosuke, but that was the way of things. The years followed quickly, and then the entire situation happened. The _Hōgyoku_ had finally been discovered, and Aizen swiftly put his plan into action. His heart burned when he slaughtered the Central Forty Six, and even more so at the prospect of Rukia's death sentence. So many times, Ichimaru would have just wanted to give up, but he knew it would result in nothing, only more death. At least if he was still alive, he could continue to find his moment of salvation.

He never told Matsumoto of his true position, his mission. He was forbidden to. It hurt his heart to continue his spooky facade to the world, as he broke Kukichi Rukia that day and almost came close to killing his kind Lieutenant and gentle Hinamori in his battle with Hitsugaya. He always hated bloodshed, knowing very well his own life when he was alive – a gift given for his services to the King. He hated what he was doing, but continued on for the sake of it – to save Soul Society. To save where Rangiku lived.

Finally, all of Sosuke's plans had come to fruition. As he the _negacion_ field slammed down around him, he felt Rangiku's hand snap away. He turned to face his one friend. His true friend.

"Gomen, Rangiku," he said. But he never finished that sentence.

_I'm sorry that I can't say 'goodbye' properly to you._

* * *

_yozora o miage hitori houkiboshi o mita no  
isshun de hajikete wa kiete shimatta kedo  
anata no koto omou to mune ga itaku naru no  
ima sugu aitai yo dakedo sora wa tobenai kara_

- Houki Boshi, Bleach ED 3


	10. Blood & Shadow

**#10)**

**Title: **Blood & Shadow**  
****Characters/****Parings: **Hollow Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo and Zangetsu. Very, very slightly implied Hollow Ichigo X Ichigo.  
**Rating: **T  
**Words:** 726  
**Summary: **They were different, and yet the same.  
**Warning/****s: **None at all. Unless you don't know a thing about the hollow. _The _hollow. Plus oddball stuff.  
**Dedication: **To a randomly special day.  
**Author's Note: **The epitome of all random drabble – I frankly have no idea what I'm typing myself here. But the finals have started, and already I feel like dying. Help me. X-X

* * *

They both wielded the same blades, one the direct and equal opposite of the other. The white blade with the midnight black edge hummed with sheer raw power just as the jet-black, giant eagle cleaver with the ivory edge sang its might to all who stopped to listen. The white-edged weapon made itself present with a burst of blue-white reiatsu as the ebony edge summoned a dark-colored line of energy tinted with a menacing black. Dirtied, but still white bandages whipped in the howling zephyrs as similar black strips of cloth did so as well.

They were different in mind, but almost identical in looks. Different in perspective, but sharing the same world. He had hair of startling orange; the other had hair as white as snow. His eyes were a warm brown, the rest white; his counterpart had maniacal eyes of unearthly gold, and the rest a vicious, cold black. His own skin was like any humans, but his other had skin as pale as a sheet. He wore robes of midnight, the other wore clothes of death light. But despite the different color schemes, their looks were completely identical.

He was the human who still lived and died; the hollow was the one who was dead and yet lived. They both still breathed, when they were supposed to be dead; they both didn't when they were supposed to be alive. The human fought to protect what his counterpart would destroy – the hollow fought to destroy what the human would protect. They both stood as equals, and yet as opposites.

The human was the blood that kept the Hollow warm still.

The Hollow was the shadow that followed the human everywhere.

He was the blood and the light, it was the shadow and the body. Neither could live without the other. One now fought to defend the other. Just as light could not exist without shadow, the human could not move on with his hollow. And just as no body can truly live with blood, the hollow could not come without the offering of bloodshed. One required the other to exist – they were two halves, separate and yet together with the other.

And as they finally came to terms with each other one night, their guardian stood on his flagpole, watching silently as the two halves joined together in their blessed union. His dark cloak fluttered in the invisible wind, and dark eyes looked at his charges quietly, knowing that the two had finally joined to become one powerful entity. A flash, an ear-shattering explosion that tore the buildings off their rooftops and made the glass shatter with the sheer intensity of spiritual energy which burst like wildfire. Quietly, Zangetsu approached the lone figure in the center on the smoldering place, sharp eyes examining the new form.

"Are you ready?" the spirit of the blade asked.

Ichigo looked up, brown eyes now lightening to an electric yellow. Orange hair, tipped with pale white, glistened with sweat as the pale face and lips stretched into a feral grin. As the teenager stood up, his robes of raven now had streaks of snow criss-crossing all around, entwining almost gracefully at the end of the sleeves, and the tattered edges had a hint of dark maroon. The boy held out a hand, long spidery fingers crackling with bright red energy. The new energy crackled as it flowed out of the fingertips, forming the shape of a long, thin sword in mid air. The shape glowed, and then burst into a flash of bright, white light. When it cleared, a zanpaktou unlike any other was seen.

The sword was just like the one he had in his old Bankai form, but it was thinner and longer than before. The blade was jet-black, yet the guard – shaped oddly like his hollow mark – as well as the hilt, were pure white. A chain was attached at the end by both of its ends, but one side was black and the other white. Bandages covered the bottom half of the hilt, bandages that were midnight black. Ichigo grabbed the blade and swung it hard to the side. A second passed, and then a building nearby crashed, sliced cleanly into half.

The Vaizard looked up at his zanpaktou's spirit, gemstone-like eyes flaring ominously. "I am."

* * *

_Doro darake yo najime nai tokai de  
Onaji you ni warae nai utsumuite aruita no  
Isogi ashi de surechigau hito-tachi  
"Yume wa kanai mashita ka?"  
Atashi mada mogaite iru_

- Life, Bleach ED 5


	11. First Contact OP3

**#11)**

**Title: **First Contact (op.3)**  
Characters/Parings: **Hitsugaya Toshirou and Kurosaki Ichigo. Mentions of Hinamori Momo, Matsumoto Rangiku, Abarai Renji, Kukichi Byakuya and Eleventh Division people. VERY slight Hitsugaya X Ichigo if you squint hard enough.  
**Rating: **PG+  
**Words:** 1, 301  
**Summary: **Toshirou remembers his first trip to Karakura Town.  
**Warning/s: **Not really anything noteworthy…  
**Dedication: **To Tuski-no-Kurokage for her awesome writing skillz.  
**Author's Note: **I blame myself for reading the works of Tuski-no-Kurokage. Now I seem to have caught a mild version of her HIRS, so this is for her.

* * *

Hitsugaya Toshirou, the great genius captain of the Tenth Division, the kid who passed the _Shinigami _Academy within a year and passed with flying colors and so on and so on, suddenly found himself wondering just how he agreed to this… _insanity._

It all happened when the infamous 'chibi-taichou' was immersing himself with the usual bundle of paperwork. As usual, his good-for-nothing, busty lieutenant had gotten herself stone-cold drunk in her drinking spree with Ikakku and the other idiots from the eleventh division with Abarai Renji – to apparently celebrate his transfer to the sixth division as the _fukutaichou_ under the stoic Kukichi Byakuya. How the redhead even managed to get there was beyond the white-haired captain's guessing – only god knows why the stone-cold, expressionless and (what Matsumoto had once said) prissy captain had taken the brazen, rash former eleventh division member under his wing. But in any case, Matsumoto had drunk more than she could handle, and so the young captain had found his lieutenant sprawled on the couch of the office when he entered early in the morning, snoring away like no tomorrow. After half an hour or so of shouting and twitching, Toshirou had given her the day off (albeit grudgingly) and thus now found himself buried under the work of both his and his lieutenant's.

_Just why did Kami-sama give me such a lieutenant to deal with? _the boy grumbled and cursed mentally as he was finishing off the next document on his stack. _She's lazy, and an alcoholic to boot. Just how did the last captain handle her, damnit? _Sighing mentally, the white-haired kid finished up the last of his paperwork, ending with a fine signature as he stacked the papers nicely and placed them at a corner of his table. Just as the young captain was about to reach the first of his lieutenant's paperwork…

"SHIROU-CHAN!"

Toshirou twitched at that cry. He knew all too well who was calling him from that shout.

True to his own guessing, the figure of Hinamori Momo burst into the office of the Tenth Division, a file in hand as she turned and greeted her childhood compatriot. "Good Morning, Shirou-chan!" the young lieutenant of the Fifth Division greeted cheerfully.

Hitsugaya twitched once more. "For the last time, Hinamori… its Hitsugaya-_taichou_."

The girl pouted. "Shirou-chan is being cold!"

The younger of the two only snorted in response before returning his concentration to his paperwork, barely even taking in whatever Hinamori was actually saying, only making the occasional 'hmm' and 'ah' to show any form of response.

"…and so will you do it, Shirou-chan?"

The captain sighed as he looked up from the document he was reading. "Its Hitsugaya-_taichou _to you, Hinamori; and what were you saying?"

Once again, the lieutenant effectively ignored Hitsugaya's warning as she replied. "I was asking if you could do a favor for me, Shirou-chan?"

"Can't you do it yourself?" the ice-type zanpaktou wielder immediately shot back.

"I've got to go out on a mission with Aizen-taichou later!" the girl returned, her eyes shimmering as she pouted and looked at her childhood friend. "Please, Shirou-chan?"

Toshirou looked at his friend for a moment before he sighed, bringing up his fingers to massage his temples and pulled back his hair. Just why did he have to be so soft in these sort of situations... "…fine. I'll do it. What do I have to do?"

So now the Tenth Division captain found himself in a gigai given by the Twelfth Division, blinking under the harsh afternoon sun as he stood blankly in the bustling streets of Karakura Town. Apparently the 'favor' that Momo wanted was actually for him to buy a bunch of sweets and various other tidbits from the Real World to bring back to Soul Society, mainly to give away for the others and stuff like that. Again, the white-haired kid sighed deeply as he walked about the place, trying to find the nearest local supermarket to quickly settle this and return.

However, he found himself lost soon enough, having never ventured in this area before – and that quickly grated on the short-tempered captain's nerves. After about two hours of wandering and still unable to find anywhere that sold what he wanted to buy, Toshirou hissed in annoyance as he sat down on one of the benches of the park to rest for a bit. As he sat there, his eyes wandered to see a group of students walking down the path towards him. They seemed only a tad older then his supposed age (which was about ten or so) and they were all dressed in dark grey uniforms. However, the one that really caught his eye was a boy with spiky hair in an unbelievably bright orange color. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow at that. _And they say my hair was odd enough…_

He also noticed that said kid was emitting a lot of reiatsu for a human. Too much for comfort, for the captain's taste, which surprised him quite a bit – he didn't know a human could have so much reiatsu… Then Toshirou realized that he could ask them for directions. As annoying as that prospect was, the captain grudgingly admitted that it was possibly the only way for him to finish this favor quickly and then head back to finish up his remaining paperwork. Plus he could possibly keep an eye on the kid with the monstrous reiatsu. Gathering up his own courage, the young tenth division captain headed towards the group, who all stopped to look at him as he asked, "Do you know where the nearest supermarket is?"

The students looked at one another, mainly in confusion and curiosity about the young kid standing before them. Finally one of them replied – the one with the orange hair and huge amount of reiatsu stepped out and said, "I'll take you there; it's near my house anyway."

"_Arigatou,"_ muttered the boy with gratitude, partly thankful that none of them questioned about his hair. Then again, seeing the one who was leading him now, he wasn't really surprised.

As the two walked, the student then asked Hitsugaya. "You're not a local, are you?"

"…yes, I'm not. I'm here for a trip," the captain replied simply. The orange-headed kid only nodded simply before turning back to continue leading the white-haired _Shinigami _in silence for the rest of the journey – which fortunately did not include Hollows, given the amount of reiatsu that flew about uncontrollably from the kid. After about fifteen minutes of walking, Toshirou finally saw the store in sight. The student led him to the entrance.

"Here's the place," said the boy. "If you wanna go back into the town, just walk straight and follow the signs. You'll be back soon enough."

"Thank you," Hitsugaya said once again. The boy then nodded in response before turning, wanting to leave, but however stopped when the captain called him. "Oy."

The orange headed kid turned back to face the white-haired captain. "Yeah?"

"What's your name?" Toshirou asked despite himself. Somehow, a part of him wanted to know this kid's name for some odd reason. Maybe it was because they both had such odd hair color, or maybe because he was one of the few who didn't ask the captain about his hair… or even with that monstrous pack of reiatsu…

The youngster with unbelievably orange hair only smiled as he answered. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Hitsugaya Toshirou," the captain returned politely in kind. "And thank you once again."

Ichigo only smiled. "No problem," he replied before turning to run down the path back home. Hitsugaya watched as the young orange head disappeared into the distance, somehow feeling that he would meet this most interesting teenager once again, somewhere in the near future.

Ironically, the captain's guess was correct yet again.

* * *

_Hitotsu! Kazoete susumeba ii  
Futatsu! Kazoete yasumeba ii  
Mittsu! Kazoete kangaerya ii  
MY PACE de susumereba ii_

- My Pace, Bleach ED 6


End file.
